Patrick Shanahan: Pentagon chief's ties to Boeing investigated

[UpInArms]

Source: BBC

The Pentagon has launched an inquiry into acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan for alleged favouritism to his ex-employer, Boeing.

The Defence Department's inspector general will look into the matter following a complaint from a watchdog group.

Mr Shanahan is accused of frequently praising Boeing in meetings about government contracts and acquisitions.

Mr Shanahan, who denies any wrongdoing, spent 30 years at Boeing.

He rose through the ranks to become a senior executive at the world's biggest planemaker.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-us-canada-47647865

[mr_lebowski]

1. Draining the Swamp! Only the Best People! (nt)

[volstork]

2. No wonder Ethiopian Air

sent their Black Boxes to France. The US is so corrupt that they would likely sweep any information under the rug.

[DallasNE]

3. Corruption

It is everywhere you turn. He is basically a lobbyist for Boeing so he most likely is receiving compensation of some sort from Boeing. It is a matter of follow the money in our largely unregulated world.

[Locrian]

5. they don't even think it's corruption

it's just "normal" business practice to operate like this

Short of someone physically carrying in cartoon like bags of money to meetings, it's all accepted.

[notdarkyet]

4. Boeing gave trump a million. What for? Why? They are all corrupt. Do we need more prison

Space for so many criminals?

[FiveGoodMen]

6. Don't need more space. Let the drug possessors out and fill those cells with corporate execs

[kimbutgar]

7. I bet the rank and file in the defense department has no respect and is actively in favor

Of this corporate toady being investigated and thrown out.

[Zorro]

8. I agee

Despite opinions to the contrary and the occasional rotten apple, the majority of the DoD (both military and civilian) are folks who believe in the US and its core principles.

And I'm sure Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman also support this IG investigation, too. Defense contractors prefer a level competitive playing field.

[Socal31]

11. LM demanded it.

As soon as the budget was released with a F-15X that nobody asked for, and a drop in F-35 procurement.

[Zorro]

12. Boeing has been involved in a couple of recent DoD scandals

There was the Darleen Druyan scandal in the early 2000s, and then the Lockheed missile trade secrets theft later in the decade.

Haven't heard of any significant Lockheed scandals since they were bribing the Japanese PM in the 70s.

[DeminPennswoods]

9. As a former rank and file DoD'er

I doubt anyone cares one way or the other, business will go on as usual as it has for decades.

I'll also note that there are very few military aircraft manufactures left in the US. It's basically down to Boeing and Lockheed-Martin after Boeing bought McDonnell Douglas.

[Socal31]

10. The F-15X deal was too high-profile to slip by without a closer look.

Lockheed Martin made sure that this didnt go under the radar.